-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five days of gunbattles between the Indian army and separatist militants in Indian-administered Kashmir have left at least 25 dead -- eight Indian army troopers , including one officer , and 17 militants , the Indian military said Tuesday .

An Indian army soldier lays a wreath during the funeral of a slain soldier , northeast of Srinagar on Tuesday .

Defense Minister A.K. Antony , meeting with India 's military chiefs in Delhi , reviewed the situation in the Himalayan region and told the Army to deal with the situation in the Himalayan region with `` utmost firmness . ''

Kashmir has been in the throes of a violent separatist campaign for nearly two decades during which authorities say 43,000 people have been killed . However , various NGOs and rights groups put the number of dead at twice the official count .

In Srinigar , Kashmir , Army spokesman Lt. Col. J.S. Brar told CNN the Army was moving against the militants `` based on sound intelligence inputs as well as human intelligence provided by our own sources . ''

The battles in the Shamsbhari forests of north Kashmir Kupwara district have caused `` minimum collateral damage to property , '' Brar said .

The spokesman denied media reports that helicopter gunships and heavy weapons had been used by the army during these operations against the militants .

This month 's encounter between the Indian Army and the militants is the second longest in Kashmir this year . In January , a fierce encounter raged for seven days in the Poonch district of Jammu region of Indian-administered Kashmir . Two soldiers , a policeman and four militants were killed in that encounter .

Kashmir has been the source of bitter dispute and two wars between India and neighboring Pakistan . Both control parts of the region which is predominantly Muslim .

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NEW : 25 dead in Kashmir gunfights between Indian troops , separatist militants

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Incident comes after India accuses Pakistani troops of firing on Indian troops

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Kashmir has been in throes of separatist campaign for 20 years